Pourade Archives

Richard F. Pourade was editor emeritus of The San Diego Union. With over a dozen titles published with Copley, his most popular series of seven books chronicled the history of San Diego from Native Americans in the San Diego region before European colonization to the time of European exploration through 1970. The copious illustrations, artwork and accompanying maps and diagrams make up the most complete portrait of San Diego history to date. Long thought to be missing or destroyed, Pourade's archives, which include papers, photographs, documents and research materials assembled through the Copley publishing corporation, have been donated to SOHO as a gift of David Copley from the James S. Copley Library. SOHO is grateful to Mr. Copley for helping to build our archival collection and in doing so ensuring that this significant collection will stay in San Diego. SOHO will use the collection, which is contained in over eighteen large file boxes, to further the organization's mission of historic preservation of San Diego's heritage. Our thanks go to Charles W. Hughes of CWH & Associates Consulting Services for his ongoing volunteer work to archive the entire Copley/Pourade Collection. His efforts will enable us to make this collection available to researchers much sooner than it would otherwise, and his knowledge and expertise has been invaluable.